The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA Africa) and the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) have begun the in-person phase of the Africa Zero Waste Academy 2026 in Ghana following a five-week virtual training last month.

Now in its second year, the flagship program is designed to equip Africa’s emerging climate and waste practitioners with practical tools to design localized zero waste systems that cut emissions, create green jobs, and protect public health.

Out of 1,200 applicants across Africa, a select cohort was chosen with a focus on gender balance and geographic diversity to ensure broad representation.

Globally, more than 2.1 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated each year. 

Experts say localized solutions like organic waste management and waste separation at source are critical to addressing the waste crisis and its effects on climate, biodiversity, and livelihoods.

The urgency was underscored in March 2026 when the United Nations named Accra one of 20 “Cities Towards Zero Waste”.

GAYO’s award-winning “Zero Waste Accra” project was key to that recognition, for preventing organic, plastic, and e-waste from reaching landfills and for reducing methane emissions.

Speaking at the Academy’s opening in Kpong, Ama Asiedu, GAIA Africa Zero Waste and Climate Program Associate, said the work goes beyond waste management.

“This is not just about managing waste better; it’s about rethinking systems for climate resilience, green jobs, and community health,” she said.  

“We believe each participant has a vital role to play in shaping sustainable practices and policies within their communities. The insights and knowledge exchanged here will drive significant change towards achieving a Zero Waste Africa.”

The Academy is grounded in the principle that waste and people are deeply connected. 

It trains participants to design systems through a justice lens upholding human rights, safeguarding waste pickers and waste workers, and preventing harm from the start.

Fathia Selasi Charway-Glover, Project Coordinator for Zero Waste Cities at GAYO, described zero waste as a broad transformation.

“Zero waste is a systems transformation agenda that challenges us to rethink and redesign the economic and material systems that generate waste,” she explained.  

“Achieving zero waste requires intentional investment in people, knowledge, policy coherence and inclusive infrastructure that recognises waste as a resource rather than a liability. The Academy represents a critical investment in that transformation by building the technical capacity and cross-sector collaboration needed to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.”

Participants have already completed a five-week virtual course covering movement building, waste characterization, and monitoring frameworks. 

This week’s residency in Ghana consolidates that learning with expert presentations and site visits to Zero Waste projects in Accra, giving participants direct exposure to working models.

The Africa Zero Waste Academy, led by GAIA Africa, is a capacity-building initiative that trains climate and waste practitioners to implement Zero Waste solutions. 

By investing in the next generation of leaders, the Academy aims to help communities across Africa reduce waste, cut emissions, and build sustainable livelihoods.